Eek! Why Are Our IUDs Falling Out?

The likelihood of your intrauterine device (IUD) becoming displaced is low, about 5 percent (and that feels worth the risk, for a birth control method 99 percent effective when it’s in place).

 So why do I know dozens of women who have suddenly been able to feel their IUD when they sit cross-legged, whose IUDs have fallen into the toilet, whose IUD rejected during sex and cut their partner’s penis, who have taken an IUD out thinking it was a tampon, and who have become pregnant with an IUD inserted?  I thought I’d found my “perfect” birth control method with a Paraguard; I realized there’s no such thing.

How to prevent displacement.

“Dr. Tahery emphasizes that placement is the single most important factor for an IUD that does its job. “The ideal scenario is to get a check-up beforehand and do an ultrasound to make sure the cavity of the uterus is healthy. Then have the IUD placed with local anesthetic so there’s not much pain and more control for the physician. Try to reduce any high-impact activities for a couple weeks so the cervix contracts down and holds the IUD in. After a couple of weeks, come back for another ultrasound. Then, if the IUD is verified to be where it’s supposed to be, the chances of that IUD falling out are almost zero.”

Tell your physician as much as you can about your gynecological history. Placement is more difficult if you’ve frozen precancerous cervical cells, if you’ve recently given birth or experienced a second trimester abortion, if you have large fibroids or if you have a small uterus. I used to rave about IUDs to anyone who would listen, in large part because they seemed maintenance-free. One quick doctor’s visit and you’re good for up to 10 years? Science is magic! Turns out that not only do IUDs need a little more planning and a few more office visits, they aren’t for every woman’s body. That’s more than okay.”

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